Now That I Know
by Crystal7
Summary: Jenny learns the truth about Claire Beauchamp Fraiser. One shot.


Disclaimer: I own nothing

Author's Note: This piece doesn't really take place at any particular time. It kind of just is. I guess you could say it takes place right after Claire returns to the past.

**Now That I Know**

Jenny headed outside, what were Jamie and Claire still doing out there? It was well past dark and too dangerous for them to be outside.

"Jamie, sit still," she heard Claire say. Jenny glanced around the corner and saw Claire put something into Jamie's arm. It was long, thin, and shiny. Jenny flinched and saw her brother do the same. What was Claire doing to him?

Jamie squirmed and then when she removed asked, "Will this get rid of the all the germs?" He asked, unsure.

Claire put the shiny object back into her back and replied, "Yes, this should take care of the last of those pesky little germs. You'll be fine by morning."

Jenny stared. Germs? Jamie sat up and Claire sat next to him. Silence sat between them and Jenny was about to interrupt when Jamie asked, "Claire, tell me more about your time."

"What else do you want to know?" Claire asked, "I've told you about cars and airplanes, the tall buildings, and cement sidewalks. The schools, machines, and wars we've had. Even the outcomes of certain people I have told you and predicted them accurately."

"Aye," Jamie said, "But there's just so much I still don't understand. How such things are possible."

"Well through technology. Like our medicine and knowledge of germs. It takes time. Centuries to build up knowledge and before you know it, it just snowballed."

"Snowballed?" Jamie repeated slowly.

"Sped up," Claire explained, "In my time, invention is something that happens often. New ideas are discovered and explored."

"Oh," Jamie said.

Jenny turned away from them and pressed her back against the wall of the shed. What was all this. Sidewalks? Cars? Airplanes? Technology? Another time? Was Claire a witch who traveled through time? A witch can only travel backwards, not forewords if the tales were correct Jenny thought.

Jenny turned away and went back into the house. The rest of the household was asleep and she was thankful for that. She sank onto a chair in the kitchen. Was Claire really a witch? Is she was Jamie sure knew an awful lot about it? Had she bewitched him somehow? Jenny didn't want to think badly of Claire, but at the same time she had always known there to be something peculiar about her brother's wife.

Jenny looked up as Claire and Jamie entered. Jamie gave a startled look, "Jenny, I thought you'd be asleep."

"Could I please talk to Claire, alone for a moment, Jamie?"

Jamie gave Claire a concerned look, "Aye," and he left.

"Yes Jenny?" Claire asked, not at all concerned as to why Jenny wanted to talk to her.

Well she should be concerned, Jenny thought, "Claire I overheard you and Jamie talking out in the barn shed."

Claire gave a short stop and seemed to pale, "You did? What was of interest?"

"Lots of things," Jenny said, coolly, trying to keep up her bravery, "Different time, something you jabbed my brother with, germs, cars, airplanes, what was all that about?"

Claire gave a sigh. "I suppose it had been inevitable. You finding out, I mean. I came through the standing stones."

Now it Jenny's time to pale, "So you are a witch," she hissed.

Claire held up her hands in protest, "Not at all!" She cried. "It was an accident the first time I came through, but when I went back to my own time and when I returned here to yours those were on purpose."

Jenny rested her hand on the chair to steady herself, so it was true, "Claire-"

"Please, Jenny," She protested, "Do not think badly of me. I am not a witch. I love your brother, I love Jamie, very much and only came back to be with him."

"How long?"

"How long?" Claire repeated

"How long – how big the time difference," Jenny managed to get out.

"Almost two-hundred years," Claire said to her.

"So the stories are true," Jenny whispered, "I never really believed in them. They were simply just folk lore."

Claire looked down and back up at Jenny, "What are you going to do now that you know about me?"

Jenny looked down, "Now that I know I'm-" she paused, unsure of what she should do. She loved Claire like a sister, she really did. Jamie trusted her and she had seen Claire do wondrous things, even before this evening, "I'm going to ask you to tell me the truth. About your time. As you did for Jamie."

Claire thought about this for a moment, "Alright. But you can tell no one else. Not even Ian."

"Alright," Jenny said.

Claire and Jenny sat in the kitchen the entire evening as Claire told her about the mechanics, fashions, and buildings of her own time. Jenny, just as Jamie was completely fascinated with it.

Jenny and Claire's rocky relationship hit a new level of understanding after Jenny learned the truth. They were closer than they had ever been before and closer than any two real sisters could have been.

THE END


End file.
